Running Away OS
by LucieMay
Summary: Edward finds Maddy crying in the hospital parking lot with her mom lying unconsious. When Bella & her daughter get a seond chance & stay with him, what happens when she comes to leave again? Will Edward run after her or will he let her go? o/s BxE Rated M


**Disclaimer:**

I do not own Twilight or any other book in this franchise, nor any of the characters in this story. The same applies for quotes, character appearance, etc.

All rights belong to Stephenie Meyer.

**Running Away**

_Don't lie and say that it's okay  
It's alright if there's nothing more to say_

So I'm running away, I'm leaving this place  
Yeah... I'm running away, I'm running away

Don't tell me I'm the one to blame  
It's too late for you to make me stay. No, I won't stay

So I'm running away, I'm leaving this place,  
Yeah... I'm running away, I'm running away

And faster than you can follow me from this lonely place  
And farther than you can find me, I'm leaving, yeah... I'm leaving today

I, I'll never let you find me, I'm leaving you behind with the past and No I won't look back  
And I don't want to hear your reasons, don't want to hear you tell me why I should stay  
Try, try to understand me, try to understand what I say when I say I can't stay  
I, I'm moving on from this place, leaving and I won't wait, I'm running away

I'm running away, I'm leaving this place,  
Yeah...I'm running away, I'm running away

- 'Running Away' ~ Midnight Hour

* * *

"MOMMY!"

Edward turned and his brow puckered as he walked away from the brightly lit entrance of the ER towards the sound of a pained high-pitched wail coming from the south side of the car park.

He continued to walk past the rows of parked cars his head craning and constantly searching, for what, he did not know exactly, but he almost seemed desperate to find out.

"Mommy…please wake up…please!"

Edward stopped suddenly and looked to his left. His eyes squinted slightly as he looked into the distance and saw a small crouched figure over a bigger figure lying on the floor.

"Mommy! I'm cold!"

Edward began jogging towards them, the warmth from his breath smoking in the air as he exhaled. He began to slow as he reached the figures and exhaled a sharp breath of surprise when he saw the features of a young girl, no older than four, more likely three years old, look up at him with tear stained cheeks and visibly shake in the cold.

She had brown curly hair and bright blue eyes that sparkled against her pale, almost white, skin. Her cheeks were dirty and smudged, her tear tracks cleaning them. She was dressed in some small ripped jeans and a large vest top, possibly an adults' size, and a stained, once-blue, cardigan with short torn sleeves. Her shoes were sneakers, the material thinning and some holes exposing her small toes, slowly turning blue from the cold harsh Washington winter.

Edward said nothing in fear of scaring her and partially in shock. She turned around and began to shake a body slumped on the ground as she continued to sniffle and whimper, "Mommy."

Edward quickly took of his jacket and removed his car keys which held a small torch as a key ring. He sunk down onto his knees, not far behind the little girl and said in a quiet voice, "My name is Edward. I'm a doctor."

The little girl turned around and looked at him with wide eyes, "You help." and reached out to grasp one of his hands and tug him forward.

Edward shuffled forward on his knees towards the slumped form on the wet, dirty and cold tarmac surface much to the little girl's persistence and weak frantic tugging on his hand. Edward grabbed his jacket and wrapped it gently around the little girl's frame and cautiously took her hands to direct her, "Wrap up warm, okay." he smiled. The little girl smiled back and snuggled into the warm large material surrounding her.

Edward took a deep breath and lifted his torch towards the direction of the slumped body, he was not sure what to expect.

Edward let out a short sharp breath and muttered quietly, "Fucking hell."

There on the floor was a skinny pale skinned woman, no older than twenty, dressed in ripped and dirty clothes. A large deep gash on her temple caused blood to run down and stain her closed eyelids and long matted and knotted brown hair.

Edward's impulse of doctor actions kicked in. He supported her neck as he turned the woman to lie on her back, in case of back and neck bone breaks as well as brain damage, which was very possible with such a deep laceration on her temple. He then proceeded to grab her wrist and look at his watch as he measured her pulse. Edward bit his tongue, to prevent the escape of another curse, at how dangerously low it was. He needed more help urgently.

Edward quickly grabbed his cell from his trouser pocket and pressed seven for a speed dial to his best friend and work colleague, Emmett.

"Hello! Dude! I'm doing my rounds here mate, not all of us had the luck of an early shift to-"

"Em, shut up!" Edward interrupted.

"Seriously, what's your problem, dude?" Emmett asked with an amused expression on his face as he placed another patient's file on the front desk, he loved winding his best mate up.

"I need your help." Edward stated seriously as he carefully began to move pieces of hair away from the drying blood of the laceration of the woman's head. He could not tend to her now, he did not have the equipment and the light source to do it, "Run out to the car park and head towards the south side. I'm near…" Edward looked around and saw no defined or easily recognisable objects. Edward heard a loud honk and quickly turned in the direction of the nearest road and saw a Hershey's van parked on the sidewalk opposite them, "Find the Hershey's van, Em. Run! Seriously mate, run!" Edward ordered before hanging up.

Emmett noticed the urgency and seriousness in his voice and quickly sprinted down the corridor, dodging nurses and patients flitting around. He raced through the waiting room and towards the lobby of the ER.

"Think, think, think…" Edward muttered under his breath, he could not afford to freeze right now and he prayed Emmett would come quickly. Edward looked up as the thought crossed his mind, 'freeze'.

Edward quickly turned to the little girl, "Hey, come here, little girl." he said softly and signalled with his hand. The little girl came closer to him, her little feet brushing against the damp floor, "You feeling any warmer? Yeah?" Edward nodded with a hopeful smile.

The little girl shook her head, "I'm cold," she whimpered.

Edward's smile faltered; the thought of her having pneumonia or hypothermia causing him to shudder slightly. "Someone's coming, okay?" Her eyes turned wide in fear but Edward quickly shushed her, "He's my friend, all right." he reassured, "He's going to make you warm and fix your mommy, I promise."

"But mommy won't wake up!" she suddenly wailed loudly and crushed herself against Edward's body as tears erupted from her eyes.

Edward momentarily froze at the feeling of her cold, frail and small body against his, before hesitantly wrapping an arm around her and stroking her back through his jacket. "It will be okay…I promise, little girl." Edward said, yet at this point, he wasn't sure when and if it would ever be okay.

"…Maddy…" her small little voice said with a sniffle, "…I'm Maddy…"

"Maddy," Edward sighed with a smile and nodded his head, "I'll make sure you're safe, Maddy." he vowed.

"EDWARD!"

Edward looked up and Maddy clutched his shirt weakly in her small fists. Emmett sprinted towards them and skidded to a stop, his shoes sliding slightly on the wet tarmac, and quickly knelt down at the woman's side.

"Em, we need to get them both inside, okay?" Emmett nodded in agreement, "You lift the woman and I'll take the girl." Edward look down at Maddy and smiled, "Come on, little girl." he said softly and lifted her up against his side, his arm underneath her bottom supporting her and her hands still gripping his shirt.

"Deep laceration to the temple." Emmett noted as he supported the woman's head and carefully picked her up and carried her in his arms, "Jesus! She's freezing!" he exclaimed.

"Em, we need to go." Edward said with urgency in his voice.

Both men began to gently jog across the car park towards the brightly lit entrance of the ER.

Edward burst through to the waiting room first, Maddy clutched against him, and spotted Rosalie behind the reception, "Rose! Page my father, now!" he ordered.

Rose turned around with shocked wide eyes as her husband, Emmett, arrived holding the unconscious woman in his arms, and quickly dialled his number to contact him.

Edward spotted bright blue patterned scrubs as Alice walked past, "Alice! Get me a gurney quick!"

Alice wasted no time asking him questions and ran down the corridor, quickly spotting an empty bed. She grabbed it with both her hands and began shouting out commands to clear the corridor as she wheeled it quickly back to him.

Emmett put his fingers against the woman's neck to check her pulse. His brow furrowed and shuffled her slightly in his arms so he could lower his ear to her nose and mouth and his fingers to her wrist. "She's not breathing!" he shouted and darted towards the corridor as Alice arrived with the gurney.

Edward turned to face him with an open mouth in shock and quickly ran with him as Maddy wailed and cried loudly in his arms.

Edward watched as Emmett lay the woman down on the bed and began to push her towards an empty trauma room.

"Edward!" two voices spoke at once. Edward turned and saw both Rose and his father, Carlisle, run towards him.

"Dad, trauma room two!" Edward shouted to him as he approached. Carlisle did not stop and continued past him, "Female, early twenties, deep laceration on the temple, not breathing, high chance of pneumonia!" Edward listed to his father's retreating figure and rocked and bumped Maddy gently up and down in his arms.

Rose walked towards Edward now and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "Edward, calm down." she instructed him softly, "You did great." Edward scoffed slightly and closed his eyes and shook his head, "Hey! I have been a nurse for five more years than you. Okay, you're a doctor, but…I have never been faced with a situation like that…ever. And you have just now and you've only been a qualified doctor for two months." Rose reasoned. "You did great…you kept her safe, didn't you?" Edward opened his eyes and followed her gaze to Maddy, who had her tired and weeping face in the crook his neck.

Edward nodded and smiled slightly and began to shush Maddy and sway slightly on his feet trying to calm her.

-x-

-x-

-x-

_One Week Later_

"Why isn't mommy awake?"

"She's very, very tired, little girl." Edward said and stroked her soft curls.

"But she's slept so long!" Maddy whined and her eyes welled up a little, "Mommy never sleeps long."

Edward took a deep breath and adjusted her small frame on his lap, "It's important to sleep, Maddy." He, of course, wouldn't tell her the _real_ reason.

Maddy's mother, to who they hadn't been able to identify yet, had been put into a medicated coma after being severely underweight and malnourished and was now being fed through a drip. She had a severe case of pneumonia and was on antibiotics to clear the infection in her lungs. She also had a little brain damage and stress due to her deep laceration on her temple that had been treated, stitched and glued.

The fact that they had not been able to identify her and Maddy did not know her surname caused a problem. The social services could not arrange any temporary accommodation for Maddy. Edward could not refuse her and took her home, knowing that whatever the consequences or obstacles, he didn't care. He could not simply push her aside when she had nowhere to go and he wanted to make her healthy again which meant getting her back to a healthy weight and treating her minor case of pneumonia by completing a full course of antibiotics.

A social worker, Angela Webber, kept a close eye on them both, especially to see how Maddy was coping with the situation and also Edward's care for her. She was a kind woman and was very sympathetic towards them in the special circumstances that they had been thrust into.

Maddy turned and placed her hands on Edward's cheeks, pinching them slightly, "Did you give mommy magic cocoa?"

Edward chuckled and recalled his nightly ritual of making a small cup of his 'magic cocoa' to make Maddy sleepy at precisely eight o'clock every evening, "Yes, little girl." Edward smiled and stroked her small curls and pressed a soft kiss on her temple, "A big, big cup." He offered, in hopes of her not worrying about her mother's continuing sleep.

There was soft knock on the door and Edward and Maddy both looked up and smiled when they saw Alice walk through, with tired eyes from one of her long shifts, but a smile on her face nonetheless.

"Ali!" Maddy exclaimed and began to wriggle from Edward's embrace. Edward chuckled and managed to grasp her hips gently so that he could lower her to the floor safely. As soon as her feet touched the floor she took off and ran towards Alice, her little feet stamping on the floor slightly.

"There she is!" Alice smiled as she caught her and picked Maddy up and began tickling her just under the chin causing Maddy to squirm and giggle. Edward smiled widely at the sound of her laugh. "Not tired from shopping yesterday, huh?" Alice teased with a raised eyebrow to which Maddy shook her head. "Well you're in for a treat this afternoon with Emmett, let me tell you." Alice said to her with a wink.

Edward still had his shifts, but, his father, Carlisle, who was floor manager and part of the hospital directors' board, fortunately managed to make them more flexible. Alice, Emmett and Rose had also offered to look after Maddy, taking turns, whilst Edward worked. For that he was entirely grateful, as like the day before, Alice took Maddy clothes and toy shopping. Something that Edward definitely did not want to do, having no idea where to even take a girl of that age for clothes.

Luckily, Angela, the social worker, had managed to arrange some funding for Maddy's necessities because of the 'special circumstances'. However, the whole group of them had fallen in love with her, and did not care at the expense of things that made her happy, healthy and smile.

Edward shook his head as he laughed, "Just as long as he doesn't feed her junk food that's fine."

Over the past week, Edward had been closely watching what and how much food Maddy ate as she was severely underweight.

Breakfasts were fun as once Maddy had jumped on Edward's bed repeatedly making him wakeup, a tickling fight ensuing soon after, they both ate 'Coco-Pops' whilst watching 'Sponge-Bob Square Pants' and 'Scooby-Doo' and piece of toast with fruit jam spread.

Edward was usually working over the lunch hour and so it was normally up to one of the other guys to take Maddy out to lunch at a café or restaurant. Edward being very overprotective of Maddy, already, would ask them immediately what she ate when they returned her back to his apartment in the evening.

Evening meals were a different thing entirely. Edward would turn on his ipod speakers and they would both dance and laugh around the kitchen as they made their food. Sometimes Edward placing her on his feet and making them waltz around the kitchen or lifting her up and twirling her around in the air.

When it came to bedtime, Edward would make Maddy his 'magic cocoa' and read her a bedtime story as she was wrapped up nice and warm in the guest bedroom, where she had a big double bed to herself. The room was next to his and Edward always left her door slightly open as he didn't have a night light and so that he could check on her, of course.

Alice bought Edward back to the present as she said, "Emmett should be finishing his shift soon and there was another emergency call this morning. Carlisle told me that because of '_circumstances_' he doesn't mind you being a bit late here and there."

"Thanks, Alice." Edward said gratefully. He thought he was coping quite well to manage juggling his sudden parental duties as well as his demanding career in the quick change of events, but it was nice that his father and mother were supportive and appreciative of it.

"Yo, Madz!" they all turned to see Emmett leaning in, his hand either side of the doorframe, "You ready for Emmett's amazing afternoon of antics!" he smiled.

"Yeah!" Maddy cheered and clapped her hands to which they all laughed.

"All right! You better get ready, chipmunk Madz." he smiled widely as he used his favourite new nickname for her and pointed towards Edward.

"Okay!" Maddy chirped, "Thank you, Ali." Maddy blushed as Alice lowered her to the floor.

"You're welcome, princess." Alice replied and chuckled slightly at her adorable blush.

Edward bent down and picked up Maddy's new backpack from the floor and zipped it open as she came closer. Edward ruffled through her things; colouring pencils, colouring book, reading book, tissues and snacks. Edward made sure to pack plenty; he desperately wanted Maddy to become a healthy weight again. Edward stopped as he came to her packed scarf and gloves at the bottom. "Okay, little girl, coat on?" Edward asked and smiled widely as Maddy exclaimed as she finished putting her hand through her sleeve.

"Check!"

"Shoes?" and pointed to her new sneakers on her feet.

"Check!"

"Gloves...?" Edward trailed off as he put the small lilac gloves on either one of her small hands.

"Check!" she giggled as Edward tickled her ribs a little bit.

"And…scarf?" Edward said and gently placed the matching scarf around her neck.

"Yep!" Maddy smiled and squirmed a little when Edward tapped her lightly on her nose.

"All right, you stay with Em, okay?" Maddy nodded, "And you follow Em's orders, all right? He wants you to have fun, but stay safe as well, okay little girl?" Edward said with a small smile as he stroked her hair. Edward then turned to Emmett with a pointed finger, "No funny business." he ordered to which Maddy giggled.

Emmett pouted and muttered, "Okay." miserably.

Maddy jumped up slightly and wrapped her arms around Edward's waist as he sat on the hospital chair, "Thank you, Eddie." Maddy whispered. Edward smiled widely and pressed a kiss on her wild kiss-curls, "Bye-bye." Maddy said and pressed a big sloppy kiss on his cheek.

Edward smiled at her as she moved towards the bedside. He felt Emmett and Alice's eyes on him, but he did not turn, and simply followed Maddy's little form clamber up onto the bed.

Maddy remembered to climb up on the right side, as that was the side where less of the wires were. "Love you, mommy." Maddy said and pressed a kiss on her mommy's cheek softly, careful to avoid the wires, remembering what Eddie had told her about being careful around her as her mommy slept.

Maddy then turned and smiled widely at Emmett and giggled as he grinned goofily back at her.

"Come on then, chipmunk Madz." Emmett said and walked forward and gently lifted her off the bed, careful to avoid her small legs getting tangled with the numerous wires, "How about McDonald's, huh?" Emmett smiled and looked down at her as he propped her up on his side so that she rest on his arm.

Maddy looked at him puzzled, as she did not know what he was talking about as Edward said and groaned, "Please, no junk food Emmett."

"Just a happy meal, 'Eddie'." Emmett teased, making Maddy giggle, "And don't worry about her going hyper, Rosalie is meeting us later on and she is coming with us to the p-a-r-k." he said.

Edward sighed and nodded, "All right, just this once." He agreed knowing she would burn it off at the park.

Emmett scoffed, "You won't be able to keep her away from junk-food all the time, Ed." he laughed.

"It's one o'clock, Em." Alice spoke up.

"Oh! Well we better be going, eh? Let's get you some food, all right?" Em smiled and began to walk out the room.

"Bye-bye Alice! Bye-bye Eddie! Look after my mommy!" Maddy waved over Emmett's shoulder.

"Bye-bye, little girl! I'll see you tonight!" Edward called out as Alice waved.

Edward sighed loudly as he saw her small form disappear, missing her already.

Alice turned to him and murmured, "I'm worried about you, Edward."

Edward looked at her slightly baffled, "Why?" and zipped up Maddy's backpack again and set it underneath the chair where he would collect it later.

"You're getting too attached, Edward." Alice voiced.

"What do you mean?" Edward murmured, even though he already knew where she was heading.

"What happens when her mother wakes up? What happens when they move on? Do you really think you'll stay in contact?"

"When her mother wakes up, Alice, we first need to find out who she is. Then we can make arrangements. But lets face it, you and me both know, that they have nowhere to go." Edward replied and turned to stare at Maddy's mother's still form, a steady beeping coming from the machine next to her.

Alice sighed, "Look…I know it's in your nature to help people Edward. That's what makes you an excellent, doctor, and you're going to go on and achieve great things, and I know that for sure. But…I can tell already how much you love, Maddy. It's only been a week and you already treat her as your own…I just…I just want you to be prepared, Edward…do I really have to tell you what _could_ happen when Maddy's mother wakes up?"

"No," Edward sighed, "thank you, Alice, for reminding me. But…_until_ she wakes up, I will continue to look after Maddy, I can't just stop caring about her. And I do love her." Edward admitted.

Edward's pager went off and he immediately stood up from his chair and walked towards the door, "Don't worry, Alice. I'll be okay, honestly." Edward said and gave her a quick hug before jogging down the corridor.

-x-

-x-

-x-

_Four Days Later_

Edward groaned loudly and pressed his head into his pillow in frustration, and partly hope, that the blaring sound of his ring tone would soon go away. With his head still pressed into the pillow he reached out and patted around the surface of his bedside table searching for his cell phone.

Once he grabbed the vibrating object he lifted his head slightly at flipped it open, "Hello?" he said in a rough voice.

"Edward?"

Edward squinted and looked to his left and winced when he looked at the time, fourteen minutes passed two in the morning.

He cleared his throat and replied, "Yeah, mom?"

"Oh, honey, I am so sorry to wake you, but…you need to get down to the hospital."

Edward sat up slowly and rubbed his eyes, "What?" he asked slowly as he began to rouse from his slumber.

"Carlisle got called out and I couldn't sleep so, I thought I would come down to-"

"Mom?" Edward interrupted.

Edward heard Esme sigh, "It's Maddy's mother, Edward," Edward's eyes widened slightly, "She's woken up."

Edward exhaled a sharp breath, now fully awake and coherent.

He did not think of what it would mean with his relationship with Maddy but he knew that those thoughts would come later, instead, he pushed his bed covers back and searched around his dark room for a pair of jeans, "We'll be down there as quick as we can. Love you, mom." and then hung up as he slipped his jeans on over his boxers and grabbed a white t-shirt from his wardrobe.

Edward walked into Maddy's bedroom and smiled when he saw her curled frame wrapped tightly in the large duvet, her thumb in her mouth as she slept peacefully. Edward grabbed a soft fleece blanket from the dresser and walked over to her, kneeling down next to the bed as he reached up and brushed her hair softly, "Maddy…little girl…we need to go to the hospital okay?" he whispered and gently shook her upper arm.

"…E-eddie...?" Maddy whispered, barely audibly, her eyes not opening.

"You can sleep in the car, little girl, all right?" Edward said and gently pushed the duvet away from her form, before wrapping her up in the fleece blanket and cradling her in his arms.

Edward grabbed his jacket before walking out of his apartment and locked the door behind them.

-x-

Edward cradled Maddy against his chest as her face rested in the crook of his neck, he felt her gentle breath against his collarbone as she napped, wrapped warmly and contently in the fleece blanket.

Esme smiled when she saw her younger son, the elder being Emmett, turn the corner and lead onto the corridor carrying Maddy in his arms. "Edward! I'm sorry for waking you up, dear."

Edward shook his head and replied, "It's fine, mom. Plus, Maddy here wouldn't want to miss it, I'm sure."

She smiled and gently brushed away one of Maddy's curls from her face, her eyes beginning to open under the bright and harsh hospital lights.

"Carlisle's in there, talking to her. She seems fine. Just a bit soar and dazed…understandably of course. Luckily, her memory seems to be okay, she says her name is Isabella Swan." Esme commented, "She prefers Bella." she added to which Edward nodded.

Edward took a deep breath and turned towards the door.

"I'll be right behind you, Edward. Don't panic, she seems lovely." Esme said softly.

Edward knocked softly on the door and heard his father reply with a kind, 'come in,', before he pushed down on the door handle and opened it so they could walk through, biting on his bottom lip in nervousness.

"Ah, Edward." Carlisle smiled widely as he sat on the hospital chair next to the bed.

"Maddy?" a soft whimper came from the bed.

Edward turned and his heart stopped.

Two beautiful deep brown doe eyes looked up at him and rose-pink plump lips quivered slightly. The tubes that had been covering her face had been removed and Edward now stared longingly at the pale skin and the blushed cheeks that had been covered. Her hair, once matted and stained with blood, now hung down loosely past her shoulders, slightly curling and frame her heart shaped face.

She was beautiful.

Edward was broken from his longing stare by the feeling of Maddy's head moving away from the crook of his neck and turn towards her mother sitting upright on the hospital bed, "Mommy?" she whispered.

Bella quickly raised her hands and covered her mouth as she muffled her sobs and tears fell from her eyes instantly. She had been so worried about her.

Edward's heart lurched at the sound of her cries and quickly walked forward, towards the other side of the bed to his father, and gently manoeuvred the blanket wrapped little girl in his arms onto Bella's lap.

Bella instantly wrapped her arms around her daughter and crushed her gently to her chest and began rocking slightly back and forth as she cried and breathed in her scent.

"I've missed you, mommy." a small muffled voice came from their tight and desperate embrace.

"I'm so sorry, baby," Bella cried and pressed a kiss on Maddy's curls, "I'm so, so sorry."

Edward continued to look on over their tearful reunion before Esme came over and looped her arm in one of his, "You look like you need a coffee." she said softly and began to steer him gently towards the door.

Edward remained reluctant to leave but realised that Maddy had her mother now and…that was that.

Bella looked up and wiped her eyes and saw Edward about to leave, "Edward?" she said hesitantly.

Edward stopped immediately at the sound of her angelic voice and turned around, "Yes, Bella?" he murmured.

Bella smiled widely at him, Edward's heart thumping roughly against his ribcage at the sight, "Thank you…for everything." she murmured and brushed another tear away as it fell down her cheek.

Edward nodded and smiled, "You are very welcome, Isabella Swan." and walked out the room.

Bella released a short breath at the sound of his velvet and honey-like voice and the sight of his breathtaking crooked smile, then closed her eyes and leaned back with her sleeping daughter in her arms.

-x-

-x-

-x-

_Later That Day_

Edward had been pacing outside the room for five minutes, following the end of his shift, debating whether or not to go in. He was desperate to hold Maddy in his arms again and see her smile, but strangely enough, another feeling began to make itself known concerning Bella. He wanted to know more, he yearned to know her and what she was like.

Edward clenched his eyes and took a deep breath before knocking on the door.

"Come in!" Edward smiled widely at the sound of Maddy's tinkling laugh, before pushing the door open.

Bella looked up and smiled as she sat cross legged on the bed and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear as she blushed at the sight of Edward coming in and closing the door behind him.

Edward saw Bella sitting on top of the bed dressed in what he recognised as a pair of Alice's joggers and one of her tops. Unfortunately, _or fortunately (looking at both ways)_, Alice was slightly smaller than Bella and the top clung to her petite frame showing off her curves from her well proportioned chest and hips, to her small waist.

"Eddie!" Maddy exclaimed and jumped off the bed from colouring her picture and clung to his legs in excitement.

"Hey, little girl!" Edward exclaimed and picked her up, twirling her around in the air slightly causing her to shriek in excitement. Edward's heart swelled at the sound of a tinkling laugh that came from Bella.

"You been helping, Eddie." Maddy said and patted his white coat.

Edward walked towards the bed and placed Maddy down softly near her book as he replied, "Yeah, been helping people get better, little girl." and then indicated to the chair with a raised eyebrow at Bella, who shrugged and nodded in acceptance.

"Just like mommy." Maddy said and picked up one of her crayons.

Bella's head quickly turned to Edward in surprise; she was under the impression that Carlisle found her. Edward felt her gaze on him but did not meet her eyes, knowing that he would soon get lost in them again, "That's right, Maddy." he smiled as he sat down.

"I been tellin momma all bout you." Maddy said and scrunched her eyes up in concentration to keep within the lines.

"Really?" Edward said cautiously looking at Bella in mock fear.

Bella laughed, causing Edward's smile to grow impossibly larger, "Don't worry, all good things."

"Phew!" Edward released a breath and played along by wiping his brow; mentally scolding himself for being so lame.

Bella giggled, his hopes lifting again, "She talked for hours," she commented and then brushed some of Maddy's hair out of her eyes, "about singing and dancing when making tea, shopping with Ali, going to the park of Rose and Em, making cakes with Esme, you and her checking everything before she went out and especially your bedtime stories…what is it…'magic cocoa'?" Bella asked with a hesitant face, not wanting to sound like an idiot.

Edward laughed, "Nope, 'magic cocoa'. Every night at eight o'clock she would get some 'magic cocoa' to fall asleep."

Bella nodded, "Umm…she mentioned something about me having it…did I wake up at some point or-"

Edward leant forward and whispered in her ear, "I gave you a very big mug so that's why you were 'sleeping' for so long." Edward sneaked in a small breath of her scent, wanting to moan out loudly at her natural sweet strawberry scent before moving back and mentally cheering at the sight of her bright red blushed cheeks. _So that's where Maddy's blush comes from._

"Thank you." Bella said softly and lifted her hand to scratch her temple.

Edward quickly caught her hand, "No, you mustn't touch, it has to heal,"

Bella sighed and lowered her hand, "But it's really itchy."

"That's good." Edward chuckled.

Suddenly, they both looked at one another and stared into each other's eyes, becoming aware that their hands remained connected. A gentle humming of electricity seemed to flow between their contact, spreading warmth through both of their bodies.

Bella released a shaky breath and closed her eyes, before swallowing and opening them again.

"Eddie?"

Bella and Edward both immediately turned to Maddy looking at them with slightly wide eyes and disconnected their hands, both immediately wanting to reconnect.

"I missed 'Sponge-Bob'." she stated with a small pout.

Edward released a small breath and smiled, "It'll be on tomorrow morning, little girl."

"'Sponge-Bob'?" Bella blushed and played with the bottom of her jogging bottoms.

"It's a cartoon programme that we watch when we have breakfast."

"And 'Scooby-Doo'!" Maddy exclaimed and crawled to sit on Bella's lap.

Bella wrapped her arms around her to adjust her so that Maddy's back was against her chest and Bella picked up Maddy's small hands and began to clap them together or swirl them around in the air, "TV, huh? Bet you enjoyed that, eh?"

"Yeah! Not like through the window." Maddy said.

Bella cleared her throat and her head lowered, "I know, baby." she murmured and pressed a kiss on the top of Maddy's head, as she drifted off into a sleep.

Edward swallowed and then cleared his throat slightly, "So, Bella…how are you feeling?"

Bella looked up at him and said, "Good, thank you…but, err…we'll have to be going soon."

"What?" Edward asked, slightly baffled at the quick turn in conversation.

Bella looked down and played with some of Maddy's wild curls as she snoozed, "We'll have to go soon." Bella repeated.

"Why…where are you going?" Edward narrowed his eyes slightly in suspicion.

Edward watched Bella clear her throat and turn red and move her hair slightly to hide her face from him, "We're um…staying with a friend…and err…he-he would be worried."

"Well, he could visit." Edward volleyed back.

"No," Bella replied hastily back, "…he…can't…he-" she stumbled.

"Bella," Edward sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I know." he admitted softly.

"Know what?" Bella mumbled as she bit on her bottom lip.

"That you don't have anywhere to go. That you don't have health insurance. That you don't have a job." Edward listed softly.

A tear trailed down Bella's check before she quickly brushed it off, "You would make a good detective, you know?" she joked lightly, but with a quiver in her voice.

Edward's heart lurched at the sound of the pain in her voice, "When you were 'asleep'," Edward began, "the social services came," He saw Bella quickly turn to him her eyes wide with fear, "No, no, not that, don't worry." he reassured her fears, probably that Maddy would be taken away from her, "The reason I looked after her is because we couldn't identify you. The fact that you had no certificate for employment or health insurance kind of made it hard to work out who you were." Edward stated with a soft smile.

"What happens now?" Bella choked on a sob and pressed her face into Maddy's hair as she slept.

Edward stood up and then sat on the edge of the bed next to her and wrapped his arm around her and pulled her into his chest, "It'll be okay," Edward said, "I promise, Bella…it will be okay." he vowed, the urgency and desperation for wanting to comfort her willing him to be there for her.

Bella turned her head and rested it against his collarbone as she continued to sniffle into the comfortable silence of the room as occasionally tears fell down her blushed cheeks. Edward breathed in deeply, willing his heart to calm down as it paced quickly against his ribcage at the closeness of the angel in his arms and slowly rocked her to calm her down.

-x-

-x-

-x-

_Two Weeks Later_

"Right…this is it." Edward said and slotted his keys into his apartment door and turned them, moving Maddy's backpack to his other hand to do so.

Bella bit her bottom lip and adjusted Maddy who was sitting upright on her hip and followed Edward through the door.

As Edward turned to close the door again, Maddy began to wriggle causing Bella to put her down on the floor and then watch her daughter run towards one of the rooms.

Bella wrung her hands nervously together and then turned to Edward, who smiled slightly and then walked forward and put his hand on the small of her back and lead her forward towards the kitchen.

"Would you like something to drink?" Edward asked as he lead Bella to one of the bar stools.

Bella blushed and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, "Umm…water?"

Edward chuckled lightly, "You sure? You don't want fruit juice? Tea? Coffee? Or even a 'magic cocoa'?" he teased lightly.

"Err…I don't…" Bella stumbled embarrassed and played with her sleeve as she trailed off.

Edward's smile faltered and he leant forward on the counter towards her, "Don't what?" he asked quietly.

Bella's eyes darted up towards his gorgeous emerald green dazzling eyes before dropping them back to the granite worktop, "I don't know what it tastes like." Bella admitted in a whisper.

"What hot chocolate?" Edward asked slightly puzzled. Bella remained silent and her gaze remained fixed on the worktop. "Bella?"

Bella quickly swivelled on the chair and began to walk towards the archway of the kitchen, "I better check on Maddy." she said hastily.

Edward quickly paced around the counter and caught her arm before she could leave, "Wait…Bella…" he said softly.

Bella sighed and her shoulders slumped as her eyes welled up slightly.

"Still want that water?" Edward smiled slightly.

Bella breathed out a chuckle before looking at him and nodding.

"Come on." Edward said softly and wrapped his arm around her leading her back to the barstool.

-x-

Edward lifted his head from out the freezer and looked out the archway of the kitchen through to the living room, "What do you guys want for tea?"

Bella looked up from lying on her stomach towards Edward, "Umm…I don't really mind," she said.

Edward closed the freezer door and walked through to the living room and plopped down on the couch and smiled as Maddy continued to make dry pasta necklaces and bracelets with complete concentration. "What do you like?" Edward asked, hoping not to come across rude or brash about their background.

Bella lifted herself up to a kneeling, Edward having to suppress a groan as her breasts pushed together and a sliver of her pale skin across her hips became visible from her form fitting top. "I like…chicken." Bella shrugged.

"Chicken." Edward repeated. Bella nodded with a small smile. "Okay…" Edward trailed off in thought, "do you like fries?"

Bella thought back to what Maddy and her had managed to find in the bins around downtown and nodded, "Yep, fries are good."

Edward clapped his hands together, "Okay, chicken and fries." and then stood up.

Bella scrambled to stand up, "Do you mind if I help…or watch…or something?" she asked with a blush.

Edward shook his head, "That's fine. When you were…yeah…" he trailed off as Bella nodded, "Maddy and I used to dance and sing around the kitchen." Edward chuckled.

Bella smiled, "Yeah, apparently you taught her how to dance."

Edward blushed, his ears turning red, "Err…kind of, yeah."

"That's sweet," Bella murmured, "you've been wonderful to us both, Edward. Thank you." Bella said gratefully and honestly.

Edward sighed and put the packets of frozen food on the worktop before turning to her and taking both of her hands, "Bella," he said softly and looked into both of her eyes and the electricity between their hands hummed and warmed them, "I know how grateful you are. But believe me when I say, Maddy and you coming to stay with me, makes me the happiest man on the planet." he admitted. Bella's heart thumped against her chest at the sincerity of his words. "And I know you probably think that you and Maddy are the only one's…_benefiting_…" Edward shrugged slightly, as he could not think of a more appropriate word, "But you and Maddy are changing me, for the better, okay?" He let go of her hands and cradled her head softly, her hands on her blushed cheeks, "So no more 'thank you's okay? I know how grateful both you and Maddy are, all right?" Edward then took a deep breath and pressed a longing kiss on her temple, next to her gash that was beginning to scar.

"Eddie?"

Bella and Edward broke apart and turned to the archway of the kitchen at the sound of Maddy's voice.

"Are we gonna dance?"

Edward sighed, "Not tonight, little one. It's been a busy day and it's late already. But tomorrow, I promise, Maddy."

Maddy pouted, "Okay."

Bella chuckled and then crouched down and put her hands out, "Come here, baby." Maddy walked over and Bella let out a contented sigh as she lifted her daughter into her arms, "You're going to see Ali tomorrow aren't you?" Bella said in hope of lifting her spirits.

Maddy smiled and blushed as she murmured, "Yeah."

Edward chuckled and placed the frozen chicken pieces of the tray before putting them in the oven. He would normally make everything from scratch but today had been tough on them all.

Bella, Edward and occasionally Maddy had been through a series of interviews and talks with the social services about the accommodation and life insurances matters of Bella and her daughter. It had been very straining on them all, emotionally and physically.

"Oh, Edward?" Edward turned and looked at Bella, "Is it okay if I talk to you after?" and Bella signalled with her head towards the guest bedroom.

"Yeah, sure." Edward smiled, guessing that she meant when Maddy was asleep.

"What's for tea, mommy?" Maddy asked.

"Chicken and fries, baby." Bella smiled and brushed one of her stray curls away from her baby's face.

"Really?!" Maddy exclaimed, "Like last time."

Edward turned away from putting a tin of sweet corn and peas into a saucepan and looked at them with a puzzled expression, "Last time, little girl?" he asked confused.

"Yep, Jake gave me some." Maddy smiled and then looked at Bella for confirmation.

Bella felt Edward's gaze on her but did not look up before mumbling in agreement.

-x-

"You finished, Bella?," Edward asked as he looked down at the half finished plate of food, frowning slightly as he had given her a small portion for an adult.

"Yes, thank you, Edward." Bella smiled and got her napkin and wiped Maddy's mouth from tomato ketchup.

"Okay." Edward shrugged before stacking the plates and put them next to the dishwasher, "Maddy, guess what?"

"What?" she chirped.

"Magic cocoa time!," Edward said dramatically.

"Yay!" Maddy cheered and clapped her hands, causing Bella to laugh.

"You want some, Bella?"

"Err…" Bella trailed off.

"You'll like it, honest." Edward insisted, thinking back to their previous conversation a couple of hours ago.

Bella took a deep breath, "Okay, thank you."

"You're welcome." Edward said before grabbing a saucepan from one of the overhead cupboards. Edward looked back to Maddy, "Little girl, you want to put your PJs on?" he asked, knowing it was already way past her nine o'clock bedtime. Maddy nodded before jumping off her chair and walked towards the guest bedroom.

"So what makes this 'magic' then, Edward?" Bella asked as she stood up and leant against the counter near the cooker.

Edward smirked as he poured a rough amount of cocoa powder into the pan, "The two essential secret ingredients."

"Oh yeah?" Bella said with raised eyebrows, "Any chance I'll find out?" she teased.

"Hmm…" Edward murmured and poured some full fat milk into the pan and turned it on high to bring it to the boil as he whisked it gently, "I suppose so…but you have to guess them right."

"How could I possibly guess? There are an endless amount of possibilities," she pointed out with raised eyebrows.

"All right, I'll let you smell them, okay?" Edward offered.

Bella nodded, "That's fair." she smirked and then clapped her hands, "Come on then, first one,"

Edward took a small half teaspoon of the first secret ingredient. Bella looked at it with eyebrows raised in slight shock and her mouth open slightly at the bright red powder.

"Sniff away then." Edward smiled.

Bella cautiously leant forward and sniffed the substances before moving back quickly with a slight cough, "Chilli?"

"Yup." Edward answered before dropping it into the saucepan.

"Chilli?" Bella reiterated.

"Yes." Edward repeated and then got out a knife and the next ingredient. Bella's brow puckered as he got out a strange thin and long black, what looked like a, dried leaf. Edward pierced down the middle with the tip of the knife and then turned it on its side and flattened it, scooping out tiny black dots onto the knife.

"Are you poisoning me?" Bella joked.

"Obviously." Edward said sarcastically and rolled his eyes, "Come on, take a whiff."

Bella leant forward, careful not to come to close to the knife and took in the scent of the second secret ingredient, "I…I'm not sure…" Bella trailed off.

Edward's eyebrows shot up, "You've never smelt that before?"

"Err…no." Bella shook her head.

"It's vanilla." Edward said before getting his little finger and brushing it off into the deep brown liquid in the saucepan. "I'm surprised that you got the chilli one and not the vanilla one." Edward commented and continued to stir.

"I quite like spicy foods, so." Bella shrugged and bit her bottom lip thinking back to the time her and Maddy slept in an alleyway with an Indian restaurant nearby.

"I'll remember that." Edward commented and smiled at her, mentally cheering when he saw the beautiful blush cross her cheeks, "Plus, I'll have to give you some vanilla ice-cream sometime." Edward added.

"Eddie, is it ready?" Maddy asked quietly as she came in, dressed in her Disney princesses pyjamas, that Alice had picked up, and rubbing her eyes as she held the fleece blanket to her chest, leaving it slightly dragging on the floor behind her.

"Just a sec, little girl." Edward said.

"Come on, baby. I'll tuck you in, okay?" Bella said and crouched down and gently lifted her up and began to walk towards the guest bedroom.

Edward carefully poured two large mugs of cocoa and one small cup, decorated with butterflies before placing the hot pan in the sink. Edward lifted up the small cup and added a tiny bit more of milk to cool it down before walking towards the guest bedroom. Edward hesitated slightly before walking in as he heard voices.

"Momma, is we stayin with Eddie?"

"I don't know, sweetie."

"I love him. He keeps me warm and gives me food, like Jake."

"I know, Maddy, I know."

Bella and Maddy both looked up when Edward came through the door. Bella smiled and stood up, Edward gave her a questioning stare.

"It's Maddy and Eddie time." Bella said softly with a deep blush before bending over and kissing Maddy on the cheek, "Goodnight, baby." and then kissed her on the head.

"Night, night, mommy." Maddy said as Bella walked out the room quietly.

Edward sighed; he was so blown away and grateful that Bella had given him and Maddy some time together. He sat down on top of the covers, next to Maddy, who was wrapped up into a little cocoon in between the bed covers, "Here you go, little girl. Remember to blow it before you sip, okay?" he said as he gently handed over the half full small cup of 'magic cocoa'.

"Thank you, Eddie." Maddy said and gently blew the liquid, making it ripple before taking a tentative sip.

"What story do you want tonight, princess?" Edward asked as he placed an arm around her shoulders softly as he leant back on the headboard of the bed.

"No story," Maddy mumbled and looked up at Edward, "Just chat,"

"You going to fall asleep?" Edward asked with mock suspicion.

Maddy giggled and said, "Yes, Eddie! I got 'magic cocoa'." she pointed out.

"Hmm…all right." Edward said and softly stroked her hair, "What do you want to talk about?"

"Mommy and me." Maddy said.

"You and mommy, huh?" Edward said and adjusted himself on the pillows slightly, getting comfortable, "What about you and mommy then, little girl?"

"Is we stayin?" Maddy murmured and looked down at her cup.

Edward turned to her and pressed a kiss on her temple, "Yes, little girl."

"I don't wanna go back." Maddy whispered and a tear fell from her eye.

"Where, Maddy?" Edward asked concerned and wiped the tear from her cheek.

"To the cold, dark place. I scared of it."

"Maddy, you don't need to be scared. Your mommy and you are staying with me, okay?" Edward said.

"Promise?" Maddy's voice quivered slightly.

Edward took her finished cup in his hand and then held his free one out and raised his little finger, "Pinky promise." Edward said and hooked his little finger and hers, making her giggle sleepily. "I think somebody's tired." Edward smiled and pressed a kiss to her cheek, "Good night, little girl." and gently lifted her pillow.

"I love you, Eddie."

Edward's heart thudded against his chest and he stood up and smiled as he saw Maddy lay tucked up warm and suck her thumb as she drifted off to sleep.

Bella looked up and saw Edward gently pull the guest bedroom door close.

"Straight off," Edward smiled.

Bella nodded and wrapped her arms around her bent legs as she sat on the sofa.

"You said you wanted to talk…" Edward trailed off hesitantly and walked towards her.

"Yeah, umm…" Bella blushed and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, "I was wondering if maybe…you could help me get a job."

Edward raised his eyebrows as he sat down on the sofa next to her, "A job?"

"Yeah," Bella nodded and bit her bottom lip as she gazed at the floor.

"Well, yeah. I don't mind. But just out of curiosity…why?"

Bella sighed and looked at him, trying not to loose herself in his dazzling green eyes, "I would really like to get some money, y'know. So that Maddy and I could save up and get a place of our own," Edward opened his mouth to interject, but she continued, "Plus, we have to pay you rent, so." Bella shrugged.

Edward shook his head and sighed, before turning and taking her hands in his. "Bella," he began, "Do you not understand my feelings for you at all?"

Bella looked at him perplexed, "W-what do you mean?"

"Bella. You and Maddy do not need to pay rent."

"But, what about our expense? You're feeding us? You're giving us clothes? How can I pay back for that?" Bella suddenly cried out and tears gathered in her eyes.

"Hey, hey, hey, hey…" Edward murmured and wrapped his arms around her as she collapsed against his body, shaking from her quiet sobs.

"I need to do something. I need to give you something in return." Bella murmured insistently as she sniffed.

Edward pressed a kiss on her strawberry-smelling hair, closing his eyes at the tantalizing smell. "I don't need money, Bella."

Bella pulled back and looked him in the eyes, "I can't just be person that gets in your way, Edward. I can't expect you to give anymore time or cost into Maddy's and mine's lives anymore than you have already."

Edward cradled her damp cheeks in his palms, "We'll sort something out, okay?" Bella nodded hesitantly. "Let's just," Edward sighed, "Let's just get you better first. Get everything sorted out with the social workers, insurance people and stuff, and then we can think about stuff, all right?" he reasoned.

Bella looked down and nodded in his hold. Edward bent forward and pressed a soft kiss on her temple as he stroked her hair. Bella closed her eyes in contentment, she had never been held like this before. It felt warm and safe.

Edward felt Bella's body become slightly heavier and her body slumped against his again. Edward looked carefully down at her and noticed that she had fallen asleep. The thought of Bella trusting him to comfort her and look after her, so much so that she was content in his arms, caused Edward's heart to swell.

A few minutes later, Edward had Bella's slumped form in his arms as he walked silently through the lounge towards Maddy's bedroom. Edward opened the door quietly, pushing it softly with his sock-covered foot, and then walked towards the double bed.

Edward bent down, carefully removing his arms from underneath Bella's body so that she lay on the bedcovers. Bella mumbled slightly as Edward pried her fingers away from his t-shirt and then moved automatically to her right, her arms seeking her sleeping daughter.

Edward gently pulled the bedcovers over her form to keep her warm, before bending over and pressing a soft kiss on her cheek, "Good night, Bella." He whispered in her ear, and could not resist as he pressed another longing kiss on her cheek, brushing her hair slightly away from her pale skinned face as he stood back up again.

Edward took a final fleeting glance at Bella lying underneath the bed covers with her arms wrapped around Maddy. Maddy with her thumb in her mouth as she slept peacefully. Edward smiled and walked out of the room, leaving it slightly ajar, before moving across to his room and collapsing on his bed with his clothes on.

-x-

-x-

-x-

_Two Months Later_

"Honey, I'm home!" Edward shouted out as he closed the door behind him.

Edward smiled widely as Bella leant out of the kitchen archway, wearing an apron and holding a wooden spoon, "How was your day, dear?" she chuckled with a wide smile.

Edward smiled broadly at her happiness and walked towards her, "Well," he began and then quickly grabbed Maddy up in his arms, away from her colouring book, making her shriek in happiness, "I think we need to get the vanilla ice cream out tonight, cause…rumours around the waiting room are that I am up for a promotion." Edward stated.

Bella opened her mouth in shock, "Oh my God, that's great!" she exclaimed. "Congratulations!" she smiled and stood up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek, blushing as she turned away again.

"I haven't got it yet." Edward teased his ears turning slightly pink at her affection.

"You will." Bella said with conviction in her voice as she stirred the cheese sauce in the pan. She knew in her heart that he had it in him to achieve anything.

Edward shook his head and rolled his eyes, "How was playgroup today, little girl?" he said to the little person in his arms.

"Hi, Eddie," Maddy mumbled and blushed as she played with the collar of his white coat.

"Hi, Maddy," Edward smiled, remembering he hadn't said hello to her yet, "Did you enjoy playgroup?"

Edward has asked his mother Esme to help Bella find Maddy a playgroup before she even considered getting employed. They had managed to find a very sweet place a couple of blocks down the road from the apartment and Maddy seemed to have enjoyed it so far.

Maddy nodded and smiled, "I painted a picture."

"Really?!" Edward smiled excitedly, "Can I see it?"

Maddy pointed towards the fridge, "It's there! Mommy put it up."

Edward walked them towards it and let out a small gasp as he looked at the painting hung up by some magnets on the fridge. There were four stick figures, all different heights. On the left was the tallest one, it had orange hair and green eyes. Edward guessed that was him, he was holding hands with another stick figure, who he immediately recognised as Bella. She had long brown hair and smile on her face, also. Holding hands with Bella was Maddy. Edward guessed this from the height of the stick person; she had drawn her brown curls and blue eyes. However, holding hands with Maddy was a tall man, drawn in brown pencil with short black hair.

Edward's brow puckered, "Who is that, little girl?" he wondered and pointed to the fourth stick person.

Maddy chuckled and smiled, "Silly, Eddie. That's Jake." She answered in a 'duh' tone, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Edward briefly recalled the odd mentioning of a 'Jacob' and a 'Jake' throughout Bella and Maddy's stay, but he had never questioned it. He felt now that he should.

"Who's Jake?" Edward asked again in a light voice not wanting to sound condescending when he was truthfully nosey.

"Maddy?" Edward turned and saw Bella looking at them, "Go and wash your hands, baby. Dinner's nearly ready." She smiled.

Edward turned back to Maddy and smiled before bending down and setting her feet on the floor.

"Thank you, Eddie," Maddy blushed before skipping out of the kitchen towards the bathroom.

Edward smiled and watched her retreating form until she was out of view. When he turned he saw that Bella was not facing him and working over the stove with her back to him.

"Who's Jake, Bella?" Edward whispered, knowing that she would be able to hear him.

"I made macaroni cheese for dinner. I remembered you mentioning that you liked it as a kid. It was on the food network the other day, so I jotted it down-" Bella rambled.

"Bella," Edward interrupted softly and moved to stand next to her and gently brushed her arm with his hand, "Who's Jake?" he repeated.

Bella sighed and bit her bottom lip. She looked up at him then and shook her head, "Not now." She stated with a small smile, "Later, I promise." She vowed knowing that he deserved to know. He above everybody else deserved to know, after all that he had done for them.

Edward nodded his head and then pressed a soft kiss on her cheek, causing her to turn beet-red.

"So, how was work?" Edward asked.

"It wouldn't call it work," she said with a small smile, as she thought about her apprenticeship with a finance company in town that specialised with global banking.

It was called 'Step Ahead Savings' and they had many branches across the world. They offered apprenticeship schemes for people with not many qualifications. They could earn and learn at the same time.

"Well what else would you call it?" he asked, "It's not school."

"Is for me," Bella muttered. Edward looked up, hearing her, but she continued, "Okay, fine. Work was…good. I'm starting to get the hang of it now." She blushed embarrassed. She had been complimented more and more recently for her organization and communication skills and how they had improved.

"See? What did I tell you, huh?" Edward teased giving her a small nudge, thinking back to how much he had to boost her confidence when her first day rolled around. "Have you met anybody new? Like to talk to and stuff?"

Alice had told Edward that Bella wanted to be more social. Edward was glad that Bella had become friends with his work colleagues and his parents, but he wanted her to have friends of her own as well.

"Err…the postman and the delivery guys that come in are nice." Bella said as she recalled Larry coming in and dropping off some parcels for the manager. "The other receptionist Angela…the one that's keeping an eye on me…she's becoming more of a friend."

Edward nodded in approval. "When have you got your exams again?" Edward asked as he placed the placemats, knifes and forks down on the table ready for dinner.

"Umm…early next month," Bella said, "I should get the results only a couple of weeks after them, which would be good. I might need to take them again."

"No, you won't," Edward sung slightly as he stretched and reached three glasses from the overhead cupboard.

Bella drained the macaroni pasta in the colander in the sink, the steam billowing up quickly into the air vent, "It's just a lot of stuff, y'know," she shrugged, "I mean I'm taking a short-hand higher level, a book-keeping foundation level and a secretary higher level. And then when I've passed them I can go on and get a foundation business qualification. It just seems to be quite a lot within the third month, y'know."

Edward stood behind her and put his arms on her upper arms as she stirred the cheese sauce with the pasta in the saucepan, "You'll do great. I know you will." He stated and pressed a kiss on her hair.

"Mommy, I'm all clean!" Maddy said and held her hands out in front of her in proof.

Bella turned and smiled and put the pan next to the bowls on the counter as she dished up, "Well done, baby."

"Bella do you want me to do anything?" Edward asked before sitting down.

Bella sighed, "Edward sit down." She said sternly and pointed to his chair with the cheesy wooden spoon, "If this is the only rent I can persuade us to pay you, then I am damn well going to do it right and I am going to do it by myself." She smiled proudly at her own stubbornness.

Edward held his hands up in surrender as he sat down, "All right, all right…" he teased.

Ever since they had sorted out the 'accommodation and other expenses' rent, Bella had been very possessive of her 'duties'. Edward did not want her money, however, it made her happy to do the meals and the cleaning. So, he let her do that. He had a feeling that she had never had a space of her own to look after and she took pride in keeping it neat and clean. That did not stop him however from cleaning up after himself when she wasn't noticing.

"There you go, sweetie." Bella said and placed a small bowl in front of Maddy.

"Thank you, mommy." She blushed and then reached for the bowl in the centre for some fresh breadcrumbs to sprinkle on top.

"Whoa! Big enough portion, Bella!" Edward exclaimed as she placed a full bowl in front of him.

"Oh come on! Maddy and I both know that you're going to eat it all. You eat like a horse." She stated.

Edward had his mouth open in shock at her statement. His eyes flickered towards Bella plating up her portion before leaving the leftovers on a wooden board near the cooker and Maddy on his left giggling infectiously.

"I can't believe you just said that, Miss Swan." He said in disbelief.

Bella stuck her tongue out at him before sticking a small forkful of pasta in her mouth.

Edward shook his head to clear his head before shovelling a large forkful in his mouth.

Bella and Maddy suddenly burst out laughing, failing to smother their mouths with their hands.

"What?" Edward asked, his mouth full.

Bella shook her head and sprinkled some breadcrumbs over her pasta.

-x-

"Okay," Edward started and placed the dessert bowls, empty from their vanilla ice cream scoops next on the sink, "You may have been…partially correct, when you said that I ate like a horse." Bella smiled triumphantly, Edward pointed at her with his finger, "But…only to the extent that I finished my meal." He concluded.

Bella scoffed and shook her head as she loaded the dishwasher, "You were right. Vanilla ice cream _is_ good." She felt almost bloated how much she had eaten. But Edward was secretly happy how much her portions had increased since she came to stay and how much healthy she was as she had put on weight and was no longer malnourished.

"So, now that Maddy's not in earshot. Are you going to tell me who Jake is?" Edward asked.

Bella sighed, "What time do you start your shift tomorrow?"

"Bella-"

"What time do you start your shift tomorrow?" she repeated.

Edward sighed, "I have a night shift over tomorrow night, I start at six. Why?"

Bella shut the dishwasher and hesitantly pressed the buttons that Edward had taught her, before turning to him, "Cause it's going to be a late night."

Edward quirked an eyebrow before continuing to make Maddy's 'magic cocoa' for her bedtime.

-x-

Bella sat crossed legged on the sofa, facing Edward who copied her stance on the opposite side.

"I don't think you realise how long I have been on the streets." Bella stated and then took several defined gulps of a large glass of wine before letting out a contented sigh.

"Is it your plan to get completely bladdered before the story's done?" Edward smirked.

Bella chuckled, "Just makes the pain go away sometimes. Anyway," she took a deep breath and cleared her throat slightly; "my Mom left my dad when I was three years old, taking me with her. Unfortunately, she didn't exactly have a plan in place. The job that she had been 'guaranteed' was given to someone else, so she couldn't pay the rent on this dingy apartment that we planned to live in only temporarily. Anyway, after a long line of events we ended up on the streets, just after my fourth birthday." Bella stated before simply taking the bottle and taking a few more mouthfuls.

"You've been on the streets that long?" Edward asked quietly in shock.

"Yeah." Bella whispered, tears gathering in her eyes. "My Mom tried her best y'know. I didn't know it at the time, but I figured it out when I was older. She whored herself out to anyone willing to pay; simply to feed me, to keep me warm for one more night. We made friends on the streets." Bella began in a lighter tone, "You had to be so careful not to be caught stealing things or scrapping from garbage from other people's territory. But, there was this one guy called Billy. He had a son that was roughly the same age as me. He couldn't manage to pay off his debts, so his belongings and house got repossessed and he was tossed onto the streets. His son was called Jake." Bella stated.

"Jake? As in the Jake that Maddy knows?"

Bella nodded before continuing. "Billy taught Jake and I. Kind of like school y'know," Bella shrugged. Edward thought back to her comment before about how her job was like school for her. The truth was that she had never been to school. "Jake and I used to play hide and seek in the bins. He was my best friend."

Edward let out a shaky breath, "Is he…I mean, is he Maddy's…" he trailed off.

Bella shook her head. "No. I was sixteen. Just sixteen, I remember seeing the date on the newspaper and working out I had my birthday a few days before. It was winter. It was cold," Bella began to tremble, "I remember my mother and I clinging desperately to one another to keep warm as we had a holey rag covering our bodies. I remember footsteps, coming closer." Tears began to pool in Bella's eyes. "I don't remember his face very well. All I remember was his cold blue eyes that shined in the moonlight." Maddy's unusual blue eyes flashed through Edward's mind. "My mother began to scream as soon as his form was visible. To this day, I don't know why. She was terrified of him. I think that she possibly owed him something but never paid him, but I am not sure. I had no time to react. All I remember was a deafening sound and the feel of liquid splatter against my face as he shot my mother in the temple." Bella breathed out shakily as tears poured down her cheeks and the sobs beat against her chest, wanting to escape.

Edward reached out wanting to comfort her but she shook her head and continued.

"He pushed her still body to the side and grabbed my hair. I was pushed me on the ground. I still remember the pain that spread through my head and the throbbing as my eyes bleared with my tears. He ripped my clothes off and pawed me like an object." Bella spat and took another gulp of the wine, "I remember my loud scream echoing through the alleyway as he bit me several times, making me bleed. He slammed the gun against my head. Every time I close my eyes, I have nightmares." Bella cried, "His grunts, moans, breathless pants in my ear as he pinned my down against the wet tarmac and forced himself into me, causing me to scream out. His rough calloused fingers smothering my mouth and nose so that I couldn't breath." Bella sobbed and clutched an arm across her chest.

Edward reached across and pulled her into his chest, taking the bottle from her grasp and placing it on the floor as she sobbed painfully as she remembered all of the memories of that night.

"J-Jake saved me," Bella whimpered as tear continued to fall and soak into Edward's shirt. "He pulled him off me and punched him repeatedly. He killed him. But he did not care. I remember slipping in and out of consciousness then. The next clear thing in my mind was Billy treating my cuts and wrapping me in a blanket as I cried. I cried for my mother. I cried for what I had lost." Bella whispered.

"Bella," Edward cried, tears of his own cascading down his cheeks.

"It wasn't until a few months later that we figured out I was pregnant. We were struggling then. I had been with Billy and Jacob, but we had to move often. We couldn't stay in one place for too long and it was getting harder to eat." She said softly and squeezed Edward's waist tightly as she rested against him, her legs intertwined with his, "I was about five or six months pregnant when Billy passed away. He had been giving me and Jake the food, not thinking of himself."

"What happened then with Jake?" Edward asked quietly, his voice hoarse from his emotions.

"Jake managed to track somebody down; somebody that he said could help with my pregnancy and food. I did not ask Jake of the cost, I was simply happy that he was helping me. Maddy's birth wasn't easy. She was early and tiny and we didn't have the equipment like an incubator and stuff, so, we just prayed that we could keep her warm and fed enough for her to survive. She did. She was a miracle. No matter how she had been conceived."

"She's a beautiful girl, Bella," Edward murmured in amazement that she had given birth on the streets.

"Jake and I brought her up as best as we could. Jake's 'arrangements', however, continued throughout the three years. I did not ask. It was stupid of me really. Not to think about what was going on." Bella muttered, "Jake loved Maddy. He treated her as her own. I knew he had feelings for me, but I simply could not return them. I tried. I really did try. But, he was just so much like a brother to me, it felt wrong. He would do anything for her; anything to keep her safe, feed, warm and happy. It wasn't until that night, that you found me, that I found out the truth."

Edward rubbed Bella's back as her body began to shake with sobs, "It's okay. You're safe now," he murmured.

"He was a drug dealer." Bella admitted with a sob, "One of his clients got angry that night. He tried to take it out on me. Jacob being the protector immediately pushed him off. And just like my mother, Jacob got shot between the eyes. I remember screaming and crying as his body slumped to the floor and his lifeless eyes glazed over and shined in the moonlight. I remember running; running as fast as I could and grabbing Maddy from her hiding place. She hated it there. Always said it was dark and cold." Edward gasped as he remembered her tears on the first night about she didn't want to go back to the 'cold dark place'.

"I tripped and bashed my head," Bella continued, "I felt the blood but continued on, my head spinning as to where we could go, whom we could turn to. We had nowhere. I remember stumbling towards the hospital. I thought I was going to die. I wanted Maddy somewhere where somebody good could find her and she could be safe." Bella sobbed, "And it was you!" Bella wailed and curled up in his arms.

Edward sniffed loudly and breathed out shakily before quickly wiping away his tears and then adjusting her on his lap so that he cradled her in his arms as he leant against the back of the sofa as Bella continued to sob and cry in his arms.

-x-

-x-

"Mommy?…Eddie?"

Edward groaned as he squeezed his eyes tightly shut before fluttering them open. His heart thudded against his chest as he looked down and saw Bella curled up against his side, her head nestled in the crook of his neck, her soft breaths tickling his skin. Edward had an arm wrapped around her and it was resting against her hip as she rested one of her hands across his chest as she lay against him.

"Eddie?"

Edward looked to his left with slightly squinted eyes and saw Maddy looking at him with a timid smile standing next to the sofa wearing her pink dressing gown and slippers, her Disney princesses pyjamas barely visible underneath the fluffy fleece material of the gown.

"Hey, little girl," Edward whispered softly, his voice rough.

"Eddie, I'm hungry." Maddy pouted.

"Err…" he trailed off looking at Bella's peacefully sleeping body in his arms. She had got a lot of her chest last night; he did not want to wake her up. "Hey, pass me my phone little girl," Edward said and pointed with his free hand to his cell phone laying on the coffee table.

Maddy turned and passed him his cell phone with a confused expression.

"Shi-ugar," Edward caught himself before he swore in front of her as he looked at the time. No wonder Maddy was hungry, it was nine o'clock and she was already late for her playgroup. Edward quickly dialled the familiar number, hoping at least one of them would be home.

"Hello?"

"Hey, dad, it's me." Edward whispered.

"Edward?" Carlisle frowned at the sound of his youngest whispering down the phone, "Are you okay?" he asked puzzled and slightly concerned.

"I need a favour." Edward said simply, his gaze turning to Maddy who had now sat down next to his form on the sofa and was watching with interest as she indented the leather with her finger and it bounced back.

"Okay…" Carlisle trailed off hesitantly.

-x-

Edward heard the soft jingle of keys and he curled his finger at Maddy, indicating for her to come over.

Maddy tiptoed over, having much fun playing the game of 'not waking up mommy'.

Edward lifted his free hand and tucked a stray curl behind her ear, "Now Carlisle is going to take you out for breakfast, okay? Remember to hold his hand all the time and your 'please' and 'thank you's all right, little girl?"

"Love you, Eddie," Maddy whispered and then pressed a sloppy kiss on Edward's cheek before walking towards the slightly ajar front door.

Edward smiled widely at her. She had taken off her dressing gown and was now wearing her pyjamas and her coat and had managed to find some Velcro sneakers that she could do up by herself. Edward was proud that she had managed to dress herself, well…sort of.

Edward saw his father's head poke through the door with a wide smile and silent chuckles. Edward smiled and waved to him in return.

-x-

-x-

-x-

_Six Weeks Later_

Edward bit the cuticles of his nails impatiently as he strode back and forth across a section of the hospital corridor. He lifted up his arm and began to gnaw his bottom lip as he read the time on his wristwatch.

"Edward? You okay?" Rosalie asked as she watched him from the desk.

Edward turned to her and rubbed the back of his neck, frustrated because Bella hadn't called yet, "Err…I'm fine. Just waiting for Bella to call." He shrugged.

Rosalie smiled, "Today's the day then, huh?"

Rosalie had become quite close friends with Bella, the same as Alice. They tried to take her out as much as possible on Saturdays, just things like brunch, coffee and shopping, so that Bella could socialize and spend a few minutes away from work and looking after her daughter.

Edward breathed out loudly, "Yeah,"

He thought back to how jittery she had been in the morning, waiting for the mail to come. Unfortunately Edward had to start work before it was delivered, but made sure that she promised to call him as soon as she found out.

"Edward," Rosalie chucked at his nervousness, "She'll be fine. I'm positive she's done well." She knew how much work Bella had done and how many hours of revision she had put into this.

Edward walked over to the desk and leant against it, "God! Why am I so worried about this?" he muttered.

Rose rolled her eyes and answered, "Because you love her."

"Wha-Bella?" Edward opened his mouth to respond to Rosalie, but quickly answered his cell before it had even finished its first ring.

"_Hey,"_

"So, what did you get? How did you do?" Edward asked anxiously, his heart thudding against his chest.

Bella sighed, _"Umm…not good,"_ she muttered.

Edward's heart fell instantly at her words and Rosalie frowned in disappointment and sadness for her new friend at the sign of Edward's face, "I'm sorry, Bella. Remember, you can retake-"

"_Hey! I said that I didn't do good,"_

"Err…yeah…" Edward trailed off confused, "That's why I'm saying about the reta-"

"_Edward, I did bloody fantastic!"_ she giggled.

"What?" Edward said stunned. Rosalie's eyebrow's shot up in hope and surprise as she saw Edward's face change.

"_Hell yeah! I completely aced them! I got a distinction in shorthand, I got a merit in book-keeping foundation and a high mark in secretary higher level!_"

"Bella, that _is_ 'bloody fantastic'!" Edward shouted down his cell with a wide smile on his face, not caring about the strange and irritated looks of the people around him, "Right, vanilla ice cream _and_ caramel sauce tonight, my treat," he vowed.

Bella chuckled, _"I better let you go. Plus, I need to take Maddy to playgroup now. Have a good day at work, Edward."_ Bella smiled.

"I'll see you tonight, love. Congratulations." Edward said, unable to rid himself of his wide proud grin as he closed his phone and turned to Rosalie.

"She did well then?" Rose said sarcastically.

Edward rolled his eyes before answering, "She did brilliantly." Edward smiled.

Rosalie smiled, "That's wonderful. I am so happy for her."

"She's deserves it." Edward agreed.

"She makes you happy." Rosalie commented.

"Huh?"

"She makes you happy." Rosalie repeated, "You love her."

Edward's face turned beet-red and he muttered a quick ramble of 'I don't know what you're talking about' before walking away quickly.

Rosalie smirked knowingly and rolled her eyes.

-x-

-x-

"Eddie! Mommy pass! Mommy pass!" Maddy exclaimed as she held onto Edward's legs as he closed the door behind him.

"Yes, she most certainly did, little girl," Edward smiled and lifted her up in his arms so that she sat on his hip as he walked towards the kitchen, "You know what this means, don't you?" he said in a serious tone.

Maddy's brow puckered and a confused and slightly upset expression crossed her face.

Edward sighed, "It means we have to eat vanilla ice cream again." He said in mock grumpiness.

Maddy clapped, "Yay! Eddie's ice cream nice!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, I know. Unfortunately, we will just have to eat the whole tub, won't we?" Edward said with a raised eyebrow.

Maddy smiled and giggled and pressed a sloppy kiss on his cheek, "Hi Eddie," she mumbled.

Edward smiled, "Hi Maddy,"

"Hey Edward," Bella smiled as she leant against the counter.

"Hey, look at you all smug and happy!" Edward jeered in a teasing tone.

Bella blushed and fidgeted slightly, "Well, I've never really accomplished anything before, so…" she trailed off quietly.

Edward let Maddy to the ground as she scrambled towards her colouring books and scattered pencils and pens on the living room floor. He then made his way over towards her.

"Bella, what are you talking about?" Edward began as he stood next to her and looked into her eyes, "You have accomplished far more than just those exams."

Bella shook her head and her eyes remained lost in his continuous stare, "What are you talking about?"

Edward took her left hand in his right and then cupped her cheek with his left, "Surviving. Raising a daughter against all odds. Learning how to cook. Getting and succeeding in a job. And so many more things."

Every statement he made, Edward had crept closer and closer to her. Bella's heart thudded against her chest as his eyes flickered between her willing lips and eyes as his short soft breaths washed over her lips from the short distance between them.

Bella involuntarily closed her eyes as he gently stroked her blushed cheek with his thumb and his lips touched hers.

"Mommy?"

Bella hastily stepped back away from Edward's touch at the sound of her daughter's voice.

"Y-yeah, baby?" Bella said shakily, as she saw her daughter's eyes flash between her and Edward.

"When is tea?"

Bella breathed out shakily, "Umm…soon, baby, soon. Finish that pretty flower, okay?"

Edward cleared his throat into the awkward silence that followed after Maddy had left again, "So, when do you think they'll offer you a job?"

Bella checked the vegetable soup, by stirring it gently, "Umm…well I need to wait for the official certificates to come through which should be tomorrow or the day after, and then I'll have an interview-slash-briefing type thing, where they'll tell me what positions they can offer me."

"Oh, okay. When's that?"

"It's in a few days. Monday." Bella shrugged.

"Oh, that's cool." Edward shrugged and rubbed the back of his neck, "I'm going to take a quick shower. I probably stink of hospital and it will help me stay up a little longer. I would hate to face plant in the soup." He chuckled as he walked into the living room.

"Hey!"

Edward poked his head around the archway and looked at her.

"Anymore news on your promotion?"

Edward blushed, "Yeah, umm…it's down to me and this other guy, Tyler Crowley. They're going to tell us who's got it in the next department meeting."

"When's that?" Bella asked in curiosity.

Edward smirked, "Monday," before walking away towards the bathroom.

Bella sighed and then blushed as she touched her lips with the tip of her finger. The spark still there from his lips touching hers.

-x-

-x-

-x-

_Monday_

"We are really impressed with your progress Miss Swan. You have really proven a valuable asset to our company since 'Step Ahead Savings' took you on."

"Thank you," Bella blushed as she ducked her head slightly and tucked a piece of hair behind her pink ear.

"The results from your exams have been remarkable," Mr Newton mused as he looked at her file laid out on his desk, "You have certainly achieved a high level in such a short period time."

Bella smiled as she sat on a leather chair opposite him.

"Now," Mr Newton smiled and clapped his hands together gently, "About the job offers," he began.

Bella's heart thudded against her chest.

"The board and myself, as well as the HR department," he added, "Think that there are two jobs that would suit you best,"

Bella looked at him with wide eyes, begging him to continue.

"I have got to say though, Miss Swan," he sighed, "One would suit you much more and it's a position that we would normally give to someone with much more qualifications and experience. It truly is a once in a lifetime experience."

"I'm not sure where you're going with this, sir," Bella stated politely.

Mr Newton chuckled lightly, "The first offer I am going to make you Miss Swan is to be a full time receptionist at one of the branches here in Seattle,"

Bella's heart fell slightly, she was hoping for me, but she would be happy with whatever was offered to her.

"I can see how disappointed you are, you don't need to hide it." Mr Newton stated with a smile at her honesty, "The second job that I am happy to offer you and I beg of you to consider hard about is the head of the public relations department in one of our smaller, more exclusive branches."

Bella gasped and brought her hand to her mouth.

"It is a once in a lifetime opportunity Miss Swan. I just hope that the location of the placement will not be a deciding factor in this."

Bella's face turned of one of shock and surprise to one of confusion, as she lowered her hand away from her mouth and asked, "What do you mean?"

-x-

-x-

"…therefore we believe it is with the best interest that we add another Cullen to the board. Congratulations, Edward. You are know the floor manager of the ER department,"

Edward stood up and shook the director's hand with a firm hold, "T-thank you so much, sir." He said, slightly overwhelmed by the thought he had got the job and now the board of directors, including his father, were clapping in congratulations around him.

"You have been a fine asset to this hospital, son." Edward turned as Carlisle slapped his shoulder, "Well done, Edward." He smiled.

Edward smiled, "Thanks, dad."

Carlisle narrowed his eyes slightly, "Don't you have somewhere to be?"

Edward shook his head slowly, his brow puckered in confusion.

"I'm sure that the woman you are so in love with, and her daughter, would love to hear the good news."

Edward opened his mouth in shock as Carlisle laughed at his expression.

"Go," he urged, "Tell her how you feel, son. Go."

Edward nodded at his father's words before shaking the board members' hands quickly and said his thanks before racing out of the room.

-x-

-x-

"Bella! Bella! You won't believe…" Edward raced through the door of the apartment in his haste and excitement but soon trailed off when he saw none of the usual toys and colouring pencils strewn across the living room carpet.

"Bella? Maddy?" Edward asked and dropped his keys noisily as they clanged in the porcelain bowl in the entrance hall and walked towards the kitchen in search of either one of them.

Edward breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the petite frame of Bella with her back facing him as she worked on the granite countertop, "Bella, there you are! What did I tell you about cleaning," he teased lightly and shrugged his black jacket off his shoulders and undid his cuffs and top bottom and loosened his blue tie slightly.

During this, Bella didn't say anything in return.

Edward's brow furrowed, "Bella? Love? Are you okay?" he asked caringly and quietly at the sound of nothing in her continuing silence.

"Mmm-hmm." Bella mumbled and nodded her head. However, the quick sniffle afterwards caused Edward to doubt that.

Edward approached her slowly and reached out to touch her arm comfortingly. As soon as he touched her, she moved away and Edward's gentle, yet worried smile, that grew when he felt the spark of electricity whenever they touched, soon vanished.

"Bella, are you all right?" Edward asked as she moved towards the arch entrance of the kitchen.

Edward saw the back of Bella's shoulders rise and then fall slightly as she took a deep breath and he heard a barely audible whisper of, "I'm fine." before she took off quickly and raced towards the guest bedroom.

Edward followed after her, growing more and more concerned by the second. The guest bedroom door was slightly open and so he gently pressed his hand against it to push it open.

Bella stopped her movement immediately when she felt him near the door.

"W-What are you doing?" Edward whispered warily.

Bella felt another tear roll down her flushed cheek from her tired bloodshot eyes and lifted up her sleeve to brush it away and then picked up another set of Maddy's socks and folded them before placing them in a suitcase, she had borrowed from Alice, that laid out open on the bed.

"Where are you going?" Edward asked quietly.

"I…" Bella breathed out shakily and then cleared her throat, "I got offered a j-job." Bella announced.

Edward's brow furrowed, "Well, that's great right?" He couldn't understand why she was crying, he knew for a fact that she was, whether she decided not to show it or not.

"Y-yeah." Bella choked out as a sob erupted from her throat and then immediately drew her hands up to cover her mouth.

Edward breathed in deeply, "Then why the tears, love?"

Bella shook her head to clear her mind and then picked up her tops that she had laid roughly on top of the bed, "I-I'm just …happy." Bella lied whilst shrugging her shoulders.

"Bullshit." Edward quickly responded, calling her out.

Bella offered no response and continued to pack; folding clothes and placing them in the case.

Edward pinched the bridge of his nose and exhaled loudly, "Why are you packing?" he wondered.

"C-Cause I accepted…and I said that I-I could start straight away." Bella whispered.

Edward walked closer to her and stood behind her. Bella shivered slightly as she could feel his breath wash over the back of her neck.

"Bella…you're welcome to stay…" Edward said quietly, "You and Maddy make it bearable to come home at night…" he trailed off softly. He did not want to make his feelings known at an already overwhelming time like this.

"I c-couldn't-" Bella whispered shakily, her voice straining.

Edward grasped her forearms gently and turned her around. His heart slowed when he saw her broken face, her brown doe eyes bloodshot and tired and her beautiful blushed cheeks were now flushed and tearstained, "Yes, you could." Edward interrupted urgently.

Bella shook her head dejectedly, "Y-you don't understand." she began and saw Edward open his mouth to speak again but she responded, "New Zealand," she choked out and a tear fell from her left eye, "…the job…is in Dunedin, New Zealand." she clarified.

Edward remained silent his gaze locked with hers, his heart had stopped beating.

A few moments passed and he said, "D-don't go." with a slight shake of emotion in his voice. Bella attempted to pull her arms away from his grasp yet he wouldn't let go. He wouldn't let go of her, "Please…please…don't go."

"I have to go." Bella said with conviction. She did not want to interfere with his life anymore. She had troubled him enough and now it was time for her to go.

Edward shook his head and his eyes began to fill with tears, "N-no…stay, please…stay, Bella."

"And then what?," Bella threw her hands in the air causing Edward's to drop to his sides, "I reject this job…and then what? I continue to live here for the rest of my life, not earning much, raising a child…and continue to interfere with your life?!" Bella exclaimed.

"'Continue to interfere with _my_ life'? Is that what you think you're doing, Bella?" Edward asked quietly.

"I know I am." Bella said and walked towards the dresser.

"Where's Maddy?" Edward asked worriedly.

"With Alice." Bella responded and continued to check the drawers of the dresser, looking for anything she had missed.

"Why?" his voice turning gravely.

Bella sighed and turned to him, "One: it's given me time to pack; two: her and Jasper want the practice; and three: their house is on the way to the airport."

"Why are you doing this?!" Edward shouted, knowing that he wouldn't disturb Maddy, as she wasn't here, and reaching his breaking point.

Bella laughed emotionlessly, "You should be happy." and then pointed towards him and moved back to the bed where she proceeded to zip up her suitcase, "Won't have to worry about the poor homeless single mom anymore eh?"

Edward wore a pained expression on his face and responded, blurting out his hidden feelings, "Why shouldn't I care about the woman I love?"

Bella froze and stared continually at the headboard of the bed.

Edward moved closer to her and lifted one hand to sweep her hair to one side of her back, exposing her right shoulder and proceeding to wrap his other hand around her waist, gently pulling her body against his, feeling Bella shiver when their bodies came into contact.

"Bella," Edward whispered, his breath tickling her right earlobe as he lowered his head closer to the crook of her neck. Bella shuddered as his soft lips pressed an open mouth kiss lightly on her skin and his hand rubbed deep circles into her hips through her top, "I love you, Bella." Edward whispered as he kissed her exposed shoulder. Bella choked out a sob, "Please don't leave me," Edward pleaded, "…I'll look after you…I'll look after _both _of you." Edward vowed and began to press soft kisses along her jaw line and chin as he gently turned her to face him.

Bella shook her head and more tears fell down her chin, from her continual gaze at the floor, "W-we can't stay." she whispered.

Edward shushed her gently and raised his hands that were now behind her back and cradled her red and tearstained cheeks in his hands and used his thumb to wipe the wetness away.

"Please look at me." he begged her. Bella sniffed and slowly lifted her gaze. "Oh, love." he sighed as he looked at her tired and bloodshot eyes and then pressed his lips on hers.

Bella whimpered quietly and slightly moved away in protest but Edward continued to vigorously, passionately and desperately hold her face in his hands as his lips moved against hers.

Bella loved him with all her heart, but she knew that if both her and her daughter were to stay they would simply hold him down and he would begin to grow bitter against them.

However much her mind told her to resist, her heart overpowered and she began to succumb to the feel of his lips on hers.

Edward felt her soon, yet hesitantly respond to him and he moaned as she captured his bottom lip between her plump ones.

Edward moved one his hands from her cheek and gently grasped the back of her head, his fingers wove into her long brown hair, as their lips continued to now move with desperate passionate fever.

Bella opened her mouth instantly to him as she felt Edward run his tongue along her bottom lip begging for entrance. They both groaned loudly, as they tasted each other and their tongues began to dance and tease in their passionate embrace.

Bella pulled away and breathed heavily, her starvation for air becoming much more desperate, he did not however pull away and Edward proceeded to move down the side of her neck pressing open-mouthed kisses as he sucked and gently bit her skin.

Edward lowered his hands to the hem of her top and lifted it up, his hands slightly grazing her bra. Bella lifted her arms up as he rid her of her top and then lowered them to his shirt and desperately undid the buttons as Edward sprawled his hands along her bare back and waist as he pushed his shoes and socks off with his feet and kicked them to the side.

Bella exposed his defined chest and pressed a chaste kiss on the center of his collarbone as she pushed the long sleeves off of his shoulders; his shirt floated down to the floor.

Edward bent down and roughly covered her lips with his, making Bella whimper and clutch his unruly hair in her hands. Edward bent down slightly and placed his hands on her jean-covered ass and lifted her up. Bella responded immediately and wrapped her legs around him pressing their cores together, causing them both to groan at the feeling of his hardness against her warm and wet core.

"I need you," Edward panted breathlessly, "God, Bella, I need you so much." he whimpered, he thought about his physical need in both the sense of sexually and also her presence in his life.

He roughly pushed her partially closed packed suitcase to the floor, some of the contents escaping and scattering in all directions, and laid her down on the bed.

They then proceeded to rid one another of their clothes. Bella quickly undid Edward's belt and pushed his trousers and boxers down as Edward rid her of her jeans and underwear. Her heart was telling her to simply feel him and she was becoming desperate and impatient for them to be as one.

Edward looked down at Bella lying underneath him and brushed a lock of hair gently away from her face. Bella breathed slowly as she stared into his emerald green eyes. They both knew that this would change things.

All that could be heard was their quiet pants for air until Edward bent down and lightly captured her lips in his, gently teasing them apart before plunging his tongue into her mouth. Bella whimpered and drew her hands around his shoulders, beckoning him even closer wanting to feel his bare chest on hers.

"You are so beautiful, Bella. I love you. You belong here…with me…" Then he began kissing her again as he pulled Bella closer to him. Edward growled low in his throat as their bodies came to press together, their skin rubbing against each other. Edward's lips traveled down her body. A soft growl rose from deep within Bella's chest as her back arched up, giving him further access to her exposed breasts. Edward's breathy moans at the feel of her soft and sweet tasting skin reverberated through her body, causing Bella's stomach to tighten in pleasurable ways.

Edward gently rolled on top of her; his legs between her knees urged them gently apart. Edward placed his hands at either side of Bella's head, running his fingers through Bella's soft locks. Bella's eyes locked with his as she felt the heat from their bodies mingle.

Edward's mouth softly touched hers as he shifted his weight closer to her. His kisses worshipped Bella's face and down the sides of her neck, melting her fears away, as the electricity hummed between them and it became clear to her that she and him were meant to be.

Edward's mouth worked its way across her collarbone, leaving wet, open mouthed kisses there. He made his way back to Bella's swollen plump lips as Bella felt the tip of his member at her opening.

"I love you." Edward said as he pushed fully into Bella's wet heat.

Edward drew away from her and groaned, pressing his face into the bed cover, next to her head, as his hardness entered her slick heat partially. It had been a long time for them both, with Bella only having been raped and not knowing how it felt to be made love to, and Edward a couple of one night stands courtesy of Emmett in medical school.

Bella groaned slightly and pressed a kiss into the crook of his neck as she lifted her legs and wrapped them around his bare torso hesitantly and used her feet around his ass to pull him into her even further.

Bella dug her fingers into his skin slightly as his hard length sheathed inside her fully, both of them groaning at the sensation of being fully connected. Bella felt his hard length fill her perfectly. Edward turned his head to the side and captured her soft, slightly swollen lips in his as he began to pull out slowly. He had not felt such a connection with anybody before.

His mouth peppered kisses over her flushed face as his hands roamed Bella's supple upper body, cupping her soft perky breasts and teasing her erect nipples.

Bella's hips arched against him, causing Edward to groan and pull their bodies impossible closer, the need to be as close to one another as possible, almost unbearable.

Edward lifted up slightly again and placed his hands either side of her face, grasping the bed cover in either hand for leverage, as he slowly and deeply thrust back into her.

Bella whimpered and pulled him down for a searing kiss, his thrusts becoming faster.

"Don't…leave…" he whispered as he drew his mouth away from hers, yet continued to thrust into her slick warmth, "You're…my…life…" he admitted.

Bella gasped at his admission and a single tear rolled down her cheek; the sensations and emotions currently flowing through her body becoming too much.

Edward suddenly drew his hands and arms underneath her shoulders and lifted her up as he knelt on the bed so that she sat on top of him. Bella cried out loudly in pleasure at the deeper penetration and connection of their bare chests rub against one another.

"I love you." Edward whispered in her ear as he slowly thrust into her, "Stay with me." he pleaded with emotion clouding his voice causing it to strain.

Bella clutched his shoulders in desperation as the coil in her lower stomach snapped and her legs tightened around him, "Edward!" she called loudly and pressed her face into the crook of his neck as she shook in waves of pleasure and muffle her sobs and breathless pants.

The feeling of her warm walls vibrate and clench around his length caused Edward to trigger into his own orgasm and he groaned loudly as he came in her.

Several minutes passed in silence, their breaths heavy and the sounds of sniffles and sobs coming from both of them.

"Stay with me, Bella." Edward sobbed into her neck as he clutched her petite, sweaty and tired frame to his body in need, "I promise to look after you both…please stay." he whimpered.

Bella remained quiet causing Edward to grow panicked and concerned until he felt her heart beat and breaths slow and steady and realized she had fallen asleep. "I love you, Bella." Edward whispered.

Edward cradled her body to him as he pulled down the covers and placed her head on the pillow. Edward slipped out of her, yearning immediately to be inside her again.

He moved beside her and wrapped his arms around her pulling her against him so that he spooned behind her, not letting her go. He gently pulled the covers up and then rested his head on the pillow; Bella's hair was splayed out, meaning that he breathed in her strawberry scent as he drifted off to sleep.

-x-

-x-

Edward groaned as the first signs of light came streaming through the gaps in the blinds and he reached over with his hand in search of Bella next to him.

His hand came in contact with a cold bed sheet.

Edward's eyes shot open and he immediately sat up, ignoring the protests from his soar muscles.

His eyes searched the room and he scrambled out of the bed as he realized her suitcase was gone.

-x-

"Pick up! Alice! Jasper! Pick up the fucking phone!" Edward bellowed into his cell at he sound of their answer machine beep, as he sped down the motorway, overtaking cars recklessly in desperation to reach the airport.

"Dude? What the hell is-"

"Is Maddy there?" Edward interrupted.

"Maddy?…What?" Jasper mumbled incoherently as he yawned.

"Where is she?" Edward demanded.

"Who?" Jasper asked groggily, wiping his eyes from sleep.

"Bella. Maddy. Where are they?" Edward said angrily and then proceeded to honk the horn as a slow mover obstructed him.

"She came really early this morning dude. Alice and I would really appreciate the sle-"

"Did she say anything? Did she say where she was going?" Edward asked, still remaining on his course to the airport just in case.

"Err…" Jasper scratched his head, "Umm…Seattle airport, I think…" Edward growled at his uncertainty and lack of response, "I mean dude, it was four am, I was half asleep, give me a break!" Jasper protested.

Edward sighed, "Sorry, mate. Thanks, but I need to get her back,"

"Good luck, dude." Jasper yawned before hanging up.

Edward snapped his cell shut before tossing it onto the passenger seat and quickly changing to fifth as he overtook the car in front of him, desperate to get to them. To stop them.

-x-

-x-

"Mommy? Where's Eddie?"

Bella took in a shuddering breath, "He's sleeping, sweetie," Bella answered in a shaky voice.

"Is he comin?" Maddy asked with a smile as they walked towards the check-in desk.

Bella swallowed, before crouching down next to her daughter and clasping Maddy's hands in hers, "You know when I used to say to you that when we could, we would buy a big white house near the beach to live in, do you remember that?" Bella whispered as a tear leaked from her eye, "Well, that's where we're going okay? We're going to a new house near the beach and we'll paint it white together, just you and me." Bella vowed and sniffled slightly.

Maddy's brow puckered, "And Eddie?"

Bella shook her head, "No Eddie, baby okay?" she choked out as more tears came trickling down her cheeks.

Maddy's own tears began to shed as well as she cried, "I want Eddie,"

Bella embraced her tightly as her daughter sobbed in her arms. Bella closed her eyes as she stroked her daughter's hair and willed herself to believe that she was doing this for him. So he could have his own life.

-x-

-x-

"Isabella Swan? Did Isabella Swan and her daughter get on a flight?" Edward asked as he arrived from his sprint towards the check-in desk, pushing his way to the front of the line.

"Err…I'm afraid I can't give that kind of information away, sir," the girl apologized.

Edward sighed and shook his head, "Look, I really need to get through security, okay? So just give me the cheapest ticket you have."

The girl looked up at him startled, "O-okay, sir. Let me just check the computer."

Edward sighed and drummed his nails impatiently on the desk as he clutched his credit card ready in his hand.

"The next available and cheapest flight is to New York City and it will be three hundred and forty-five dollars," she said.

Edward quickly passed her the credit card, not caring of the cost, simply in desperation to stop Bella before it was too late.

"Hey, what flight time's are there to New Zealand?" Edward asked as she processed his card.

The girl looked up at him, "There's only one flight to Auckland today, sir."

Edward looked at her with wide eyes, "When does it leave?" he chocked out, his lungs constricting.

The girl passed him back his card, which he stuffed into his back pocket roughly and she began to type on the keyboard quickly, "The gate is to close in ten minutes, sir."

Edward's heart thudded against his chest before he pushed away from the desk and sprinted towards security, "Thank you!" he shouted.

-x-

-x-

"Would you like a pillow, ma'am? Possibly a blanket for your daughter?"

Bella looked up and saw an airhostess with gentle eyes and a polite smile standing in the aisle next to her.

"Umm…" Bella trailed off and looked down at Maddy how was cuddled up against her side, "A b-blanket, please," Bella replied.

The airhostess smiled at her bloodshot sad eyes before turning away and collecting the blanket from the trolley.

Bella breathed out shakily. She could do this. She had to do this. Her leaving would be for his benefit. Nothing could ever happen between them. She was doing this for him. She was leaving for him.

"Here you go, miss,"

Bella looked up slightly startled and took the blanket from the woman's outstretched hand, "Thank you," Bella whispered.

"You're welcome, ma'am," the hostess smiled before moving to the row in front of them, "Would you like a pillow? Or a blanket?"

Bella sighed before wrapping the fleece blanket around her daughter's frame and pressed a soft kiss on her head. She had dropped off soon after they had boarded the plane, her tears and wails from the check-in office, through security and the gate tiring her. She had never seen Maddy cry so much. And it was heartbreaking.

-x-

-x-

Edward's heart broke as he watched a woman dressed in smart uniform close the door a hundred meters away from him.

"Stop!" Edward shouted as he skidded to a stop near the door and panted breathlessly, "I-I need to get on that flight,"

"Do you have a boarding pass?" the woman asked.

"Err…no, but I nee-"

"I'm sorry, sir. This gate is now closed." She stated and began to walk away.

"Please, please." Edward begged, "I just…I just need to talk to someone, please…"

The woman turned around slowly and a look of comprehension dawned her face, "Eddie?" she whispered.

"Wha-huh?" Edward choked out.

"You're Eddie," the woman stated and walked back towards him, "The little girl. She was asking for you."

"Maddy?" Edward choked out, his sobs beginning to break him.

The woman shook her head, "I'm afraid I can't stop the flight sir," she sad sadly.

Edward sobbed and covered his face in the crook of his elbow.

He hadn't been able to stop them. He had lost Bella. He had lost Maddy.

"…but I can stop them." She finished.

Edward lowered his arm and looked at her as she began to type furiously away on a keypad on a panel near the door.

"You can't come through here, sir, I'm afraid. But I'll try my best to get them off," she vowed.

"Thank you." Edward said, "Thank you so much."

The woman shook her head, not needing his thanks, before jogging down the corridor in her high heels.

Edward wiped his eyes and strode over to the window. The high glass planes showed the entire runway of the Seattle airport and also the docked plane that would be heading to New Zealand.

Edward closed his eyes and prayed that they would come back to him.

-x-

-x-

Edward turned around quickly at the sound of the door closing. The woman shook her head slowly at him, her head ducked down slightly.

"No," Edward murmured and shook his head.

He quickly whipped his head around and saw the plane beginning to reverse.

"No,"

Edward slammed the glass in front of him in frustration with his hands as tears fell down his cheeks.

He would soon wake up from this nightmare, this bad dream and have the warm soft arms of Bella wrapped around his torso. This surely couldn't be reality.

"Hi Eddie,"

"Hi Maddy," Edward muttered.

Edward watched in desperation as the plane speed up and took off into the broken dawn; the sun had now risen in the sky, taking away his dreams.

Edward's eyes widened then as clarity reached him.

His breathing quickened as he looked down and saw Maddy's small body wrapped around his right leg, her face smiling brightly up at him.

"God, you are such an asshole!" Bella wailed.

Edward turned and saw Bella standing near the gate entrance, tears streaming down her face.

"Bella," Edward whispered, not believing she could be standing there.

"Why couldn't you let us go!?" Bella cried, "Why couldn't you let me go?! We were doing this for you. So that you could have a normal life. So that you wouldn't be dragged down by us. We were leaving for you!" she sobbed, "Why couldn't you let us go?!" she demanded.

"Because I love you. And we're meant to be a family." Edward cried, his words said in conviction.

Bella sobbed and then strode towards him, "How? How does that makes things right?"

"Nothing matters, nothing matters." Edward muttered and grasped her cheeks in his hands, relishing in the fact that she was real, she was there and she was real, "All that matters is us. You and me. Maddy."

Bella scrunched her eyes up in pain, "It will never work," she muttered.

Edward chuckled, tears still in his eyes, "It already has,"

Bella laughed but her laughs soon turned into sobs, "God! It's not normal how much I am in love with you,"

Edward offered no response, but pressed his lips roughly against hers. They tasted each other's salty tears as their lips moved against one another, but did not care.

Edward pulled away slightly and whispered against her lips, "Don't ever leave me. Promise me."

"I promise. Never again." Bella vowed, before pressing their lips together again.

* * *

_I never understood before  
I never knew what love was for  
My heart was broke, my head was sore  
What a feeling__[repeat chorus to end]_

Tied up in ancient history  
I didn't believe in destiny  
I look up you're standing next to me  
What a feeling

What a feeling in my soul  
Love burns brighter than sunshine  
Brighter than sunshine  
Let the rain fall, I don't care  
I'm yours and suddenly you're mine  
Suddenly you're mine  
And it's brighter than sunshine

I never saw it happening  
I'd given up and given in  
I just couldn't take the hurt again  
What a feeling

I didn't have the strength to fight  
Suddenly you seemed so right  
Me and you  
What a feeling

What a feeling in my soul  
Love burns brighter than sunshine  
It's brighter than sunshine  
Let the rain fall, I don't care  
I'm yours and suddenly you're mine  
Suddenly you're mine

It's brighter than the sun  
It's brighter than the sun  
It's brighter than the sun, sun, shine.

Love will remain a mystery  
But give me your hand and you will see  
Your heart is keeping time with me

What a feeling in my soul  
Love burns brighter than sunshine  
It's brighter than sunshine  
Let the rain fall, I don't care  
I'm yours and suddenly you're mine  
Suddenly you're mine

I got a feeling in my soul ...

**- 'Brighter Than Sunshine' ~ Aqualung**

* * *

"Mommy, is Jacob kicking again?"

"Yeah," Bella groaned and looked down at her bloated swollen tummy as she fell into the soft cushioned sofa, "You're little brother is going to be great at soccer," Bella winced as he kicked her ribs.

"Daddy!" Maddy stood up from the living room floor and rushed outside to the porch and spotted her Daddy painting the railings.

Edward looked away from the partially painted white wooden railings and smiled at Maddy, "Hey, little girl,"

"Daddy, mommy says Jacob is kicking!" she exclaimed in happiness and wrapped her arms around his leg.

Edward set his paintbrush down on the plastic roller tray and picked her up in his arms, not caring if her clothes got white paint smudges on them, "You're little brother gonna be a soccer star?" he teased as they walked back inside.

"Yeah!" Maddy clapped, making Edward chuckle.

"Oh, love," Edward sighed as he saw Bella collapsed on the sofa; her eyes clenched tightly shut and her arms in fists as they rested on her swollen tummy.

Bella opened one eye and saw Edward walk towards her, Maddy in his arms, "You would have to impregnate me after our first kiss, eh?" she teased.

Edward chuckled and set Maddy on her feet, bending down automatically afterwards so that Maddy could give him a kiss on the cheek, before making his way over and sitting next to her, "Ribs, again?" he guessed.

"Yeah," Bella groaned and threw her head back against the sofa in frustration.

Edward maneuvered her slowly so that she sat leaning against his chest, his legs either side of hers and his arms wrapped around her body with her head resting against his collarbone.

"Mmm…" Bella sighed in content as she felt her son's kicking slow at the touch of his daddy massaging Bella's soar and tight muscles just underneath her breasts, "That feels nice," Bella whispered as she closed her eyes and pressed her nose into the crook of Edward's neck, smelling his natural musky scent.

Edward smiled and pressed a longing kiss on her temple, "I was wrong, y'know," Edward mused as he watched Maddy, his now adopted daughter, play with her dolls house.

"'Bout what?" Bella muttered quietly, very relaxed by Edward's continued massage.

"All that matters is us. You and me. Maddy. _And Jacob_." Edward stressed the last part, thinking back to his words that he said seven months ago.

"It did work," Bella whispered, "I was so afraid that one of us would end up hurt. That this wouldn't work. But it has. You were right. We are a family." Bella smiled.

"A family in a white house on the beach." Edward added with a smile.

"Hmm…I love you for that y'know?" Bella chuckled.

"Oh, so the only thing you love about me is the fact I brought us a family home on the beach? Lovely." Edward teased.

Bella shook her head with a smile and then grasped the material of his shirt above his heart, "I love you for giving me everything. A new life. A second chance. I love you for looking after us. I love you for being the father that Maddy never had. I love you for keeping us safe. I love that you love me as much as I love you."

Edward grasped her chin softly and lifted her face, "I love you, Bella Cullen," and pressed his lips on hers.

-x-

-x-

-x-

**Author's Note:**

Blimey! That is the sole reason that I haven't updated 'The Prince and Me' in ages.

It has taken me ages to write this, I hope you like it.

Please review and let me know what you think.

xoxPureFireworksxox


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